Searching for tools (suggestions?)

Klink10 said:
EBAY can be a friend or foe, just make sure if you buy bulk lots there are no doubles. I've gotten a few from there. It's taken me over 20 years to gather what I have. Because of the cycle's, I run with SAE, Metric and British Whitworth.

A SAE & Metric set of sockets along with wrenches, pliers (reg & needlenose), wire cutters, vise grips, quality screwdriver set should get you started. The other tool that alot of folks forget about is a good torque wrench. Because mine is used mainly for putting wheels back on it's the 1/2 in. drive therefore I also have complete sets of 1/2 in metric & SAE sockets both reg. and deep well. Oh and lest I forget don't forget the 1/4 in drive stuff, again Metric and SAE. Makes range from Snap On, Gear Wrench, Sears and oh another great spot for good tools on the DL price is Harbor Freight. Probably wrote to much.
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lol nope you're good man. What do you mean make sure there are no doubles though?

Any recommendations on screw drivers? I swear finding a good set is so hard...the Philips heads always seem to want to round off the screw which makes life harder.

What sets at HF are you talking about?
 
Sometimes you will find folks that throw a box full of like items without clarifying size etc of ea. piece. I think I picked up a good 12 piece screwdriver set from Harbor Freight. Sears offers one that usually can be had on sale around X-mas. Let me back up to answer sets at Harbor Freight. When I had all that I thought I needed, I forgot about the air compressor sitting in the corner and the 2 air ratchets I had and the fact that I didn't have any extensions or sockets for 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2. I went to Northern Tool and found all that I needed in reg and deep well. Learned the hard way about using reg sockets with a Snap On air wrench. Just a thought if you want to factor safety in. Oh and if you really want to get into things. If you remove a bolt or nut on a piece taken off for cleaning or resto and its rusted or you strip it then a Tap and Die set is needed. Shoot, just think of all the SAE and Metric sockets, 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 that are reg. size and then double that for extended length (cause your gonna find that nut on a long stud that can't be gotten to with a wrench) and then add another set for air use.

I hope you live near a Northern Tool because you can usually catch sales there to keep costs down. I'll edit this tomorrow when I go out to the shop to get the nomenclature of another item I use alot in lieu of a screwdriver. Def. a Harbor Freight grab that has come in quite handy for trim removal. Post tomorrow.
 
Klink10 said:
Sometimes you will find folks that throw a box full of like items without clarifying size etc of ea. piece. I think I picked up a good 12 piece screwdriver set from Harbor Freight. Sears offers one that usually can be had on sale around X-mas. Let me back up to answer sets at Harbor Freight. When I had all that I thought I needed, I forgot about the air compressor sitting in the corner and the 2 air ratchets I had and the fact that I didn't have any extensions or sockets for 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2. I went to Northern Tool and found all that I needed in reg and deep well. Learned the hard way about using reg sockets with a Snap On air wrench. Just a thought if you want to factor safety in. Oh and if you really want to get into things. If you remove a bolt or nut on a piece taken off for cleaning or resto and its rusted or you strip it then a Tap and Die set is needed. Shoot, just think of all the SAE and Metric sockets, 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 that are reg. size and then double that for extended length (cause your gonna find that nut on a long stud that can't be gotten to with a wrench) and then add another set for air use.

I hope you live near a Northern Tool because you can usually catch sales there to keep costs down. I'll edit this tomorrow when I go out to the shop to get the nomenclature of another item I use alot in lieu of a screwdriver. Def. a Harbor Freight grab that has come in quite handy for trim removal. Post tomorrow.
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Im so glad you mentioned a "Tap and Die set"...what is that anyway, im totally clueless so please feel free to explain it in elementary language lol
 
Tap and die set is what you use to clean/install threads on nuts and bolts. Especially if something is stripped or rusted and need to be cleaned up. I use mine a lot. Get a quality tap and die set though. It mak es a huge difference. Deft a must have in your tool box. The tap is for cutting threads or cleaning them. Like on nuts and parts that have internal thread. Die nuts repair threads to bolts and things with external thread.
 
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Wills.WindowsAndWheels said:
lol nope you're good man. What do you mean make sure there are no doubles though?

Any recommendations on screw drivers? I swear finding a good set is so hard...the Philips heads always seem to want to round off the screw which makes life harder.

What sets at HF are you talking about?
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I really like my Facom and Wera screwdrivers. The Facoms have a sandblasted tip, while the Weras are laser etched. For the rusty stuff, the laser etching grips very well. Snap-On has a similar laser etching. PB Swiss leads the pack in precision. They fit perfectly every time.

Locally, the Craftsman Professional screwdrivers are a good value and should be on clearance. The standard Craftsman screwdrivers are just alright. But, you wouldn't believe how many I've warrantied...
 
At my day job, they stock their junkyard tool box full of cheap tools from the local Ace Hardware and it drives me nuts. However they did get a Husky Tools set for the combination wrenches and sockets and they hold up as well as any other premium tools brands that I have used. I would feel confident in recommending this set for sockets, ratchets and such.

Husky149-Piece Chrome Mechanics Tools Set-69027 at The Home Depot

The ratchets are very strong and the black finish surprisingly has lasted for years. Not bad tools for the price.

When dealing with ratchets from Snap-On tools or other brands sold from a truck you generally get a ratchet that has many more teeth on/in the ratcheting mechanism, providing more strength and ratchet-ability when working in areas where there is little room to swing the ratchet handle. The convenience of a truck/dealer coming to you every Wednesday (or whatever day of the week) is also factored into the price of these bought from the truck type of tools which is something to consider when thinking of the high price of "real" professional tools. A weekly trip to Sears to replace mediocre broken tools is just not within my time constraints.

As far as screwdrivers are concerned, IMO there is nothing worse than a cheaply made screwdriver that twists or rounds off on the tip. I have been a mechanic by profession all of my working life and there simply are no good screwdrivers out there aside from Snap-On, Matco, Mac etc. etc. If anything is worth digging deep into your pockets for, it's a good screwdriver set. The set I bought from Matco tools 20 years ago are still working perfectly and still grip the screw heads as well as when I first bought them.

Just a few thoughts from someone who has relied upon tools to make his living. For certain tools, I'd rather buy once for a higher price than to buy yearly for a cheaper price.
 
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Mobile detail said:
Tap and die set is what you use to clean/install threads on nuts and bolts. Especially if something is stripped or rusted and need to be cleaned up. I use mine a lot. Get a quality tap and die set though. It mak es a huge difference. Deft a must have in your tool box. The tap is for cutting threads or cleaning them. Like on nuts and parts that have internal thread. Die nuts repair threads to bolts and things with external thread.
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Just an observation and tip given to me by my local Snap-On tools distributor. The $250 tap and die set that he carries that have Snap-On printed on them are actually Hanson brand. He peeled up the Snap on sticker on the case to reveal to me the Hanson sticker underneath of it. The Hanson tap & die set runs about $80 to $90.

A good "thread chaser" set should be used to clean out existing threads and maintain their integrity as the taps or dies often times will cut away some of the existing threads weakening their integrity making them more vulnerable to stripping.
 
tuscarora dave said:
At my day job, they stock their junkyard tool box full of cheap tools from the local Ace Hardware and it drives me nuts. However they did get a Husky Tools set for the combination wrenches and sockets and they hold up as well as any other premium tools brands that I have used. I would feel confident in recommending this set for sockets, ratchets and such.

Husky149-Piece Chrome Mechanics Tools Set-69027 at The Home Depot

The ratchets are very strong and the black finish surprisingly has lasted for years. Not bad tools for the price.

When dealing with ratchets from Snap-On tools or other brands sold from a truck you generally get a ratchet that has many more teeth on/in the ratcheting mechanism, providing more strength and ratchet-ability when working in areas where there is little room to swing the ratchet handle. The convenience of a truck/dealer coming to you every Wednesday (or whatever day of the week) is also factored into the price of these bought from the truck type of tools which is something to consider when thinking of the high price of "real" professional tools. A weekly trip to Sears to replace mediocre broken tools is just not within my time constraints.

As far as screwdrivers are concerned, IMO there is nothing worse than a cheaply made screwdriver that twists or rounds off on the tip. I have been a mechanic by profession all of my working life and there simply are no good screwdrivers out there aside from Snap-On, Matco, Mac etc. etc. If anything is worth digging deep into your pockets for, it's a good screwdriver set. The set I bought from Matco tools 20 years ago are still working perfectly and still grip the screw heads as well as when I first bought them.

Just a few thoughts from someone who has relied upon tools to make his living. For certain tools, I'd rather buy once for a higher price than to buy yearly for a cheaper price.
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Ill keep that set in mind...gonna still hunt around to try to see if i can get a really nice set for about that same price though :).

Really appreciate the info on the screw drivers....im tired of these cheapies. Is ANY Matco screwdriver gonna last like that or is there something more to look for. Im not real familiar w/matco tools (other than i know they're suppose to be very good) so im not sure what to look for.

Again thanks for the help,

wills
 
Ted S. said:
Craftsman is made in USA,

Craftsman all the way for the big ratchet sets. Unless you can find a Proto set.
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I thought Craftsman had been outsourcing their tools over seas for years and I believe Proto is owned by Stanley who is famous for tool outsourcing, I think they've been sued many times over this issue.
 
Well i found my SAE set :). Good ole ToolTopia Great deal on KD Tools - 9701A at ToolTopia.com

13 piece set for under $120...got my 12 piece Metric set for $103 off ebay, both sets are gear wrench...i might go buy a roll up holder for the SAE set just to save space...but i have my wrenches! Thanks all for the help...

Now for the next thing and thats trying to find a good deal on a ratchet set...the search continues
 
bowtie said:
I thought Craftsman had been outsourcing their tools over seas for years.
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Most of the power tools, as with almost every tool manufacturer, are made outside the country. Most of the hand tools are made in the US (except for the black oxide tools, any Evolv, and some pliers).
 
bowtie said:
I thought Craftsman had been outsourcing their tools over seas for years and I believe Proto is owned by Stanley who is famous for tool outsourcing, I think they've been sued many times over this issue.
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The majority of Craftsman hand tools are still made in U.S.A, and a good bit of proto stuff is too. Proto is starting to outsource their stuff, my Proto Torx set is "union made" in England.

Any electric stuff from Craftsman is outsourced.:xyxthumbs:

^ Looks like Chris already answered this.
 
Wills.WindowsAndWheels said:
Ill keep that set in mind...gonna still hunt around to try to see if i can get a really nice set for about that same price though :).

Really appreciate the info on the screw drivers....im tired of these cheapies. Is ANY Matco screwdriver gonna last like that or is there something more to look for. Im not real familiar w/matco tools (other than i know they're suppose to be very good) so im not sure what to look for.

Again thanks for the help,

wills
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Witte 9T 670007 Screwdriver Set, Combo, SS, 6 PC


These WITTE (made in Germany) are actually what I bought from Matco. Now the quality back then and the quality nowadays may be two different things, however it is a pretty good rule of thumb that Granger doesn't sell junk and they carry these screwdrivers. I have had tons of screwdrivers including Snap-On and Mac tools and these Witte screwdrivers are by far the best screwdrivers that I have ever had.
 
I have a LOT of screwdrivers in other places besides in this drawer where they belong. I am maybe a screwdriver junky but I have had lots and the Witte are by far the best. They are the ones with the green and black handles there in my screwdriver drawer.

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